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    • What a second Trump term could mean for Wisconsin schools and students
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    What a second Trump term could mean for Wisconsin schools and students

    Umito Posted on

    President-elect Donald Trump has promised big changes to federal agencies. But there is one that said he wanted to completely eliminate: the United States Department of Education.

    Closing the department would require congressional approval, which experts on both sides agree is possible — but probably not on the table.

    “This is very unlikely,” said Max Eden, a senior education policy fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. “I think it’s much more likely to expect major action from the department than to expect the department to close its doors.”

    During Trump’s first term and on the campaign trail this election cycle, he suggested slashing funding for elementary and secondary schools; punish schools that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion; and roll back civil rights protections for students of color and LGBTQ students that were expanded under his Democratic predecessors, which could have major implications for Wisconsin schools and students.

    “There is still a lot of risk that harm will be done to students in schools in other ways,” said Michelle Dimino, education director at Third Way, a left-leaning public policy think tank.

    Here’s what to know about Trump’s proposal, why it’s unlikely to gain traction, and how he could influence education over the next four years:

    What does the Federal Ministry of Education do?

    Republican calls to abolish the federal Department of Education date to the Reagan era. They view the agency’s existence as bureaucratic overreach and believe education is best left to the states.

    The department distributes some federal grants for programs such as the Title I program for high-poverty K-12 schools and another program for special education. But most of the money for public schools comes from state and local property taxes. In total, less than 10% of funding for elementary and secondary schools goes through the federal agency.

    The department also conducts research and offers tips on classroom best practices, most of which are optional. But it has little influence over curriculum decisions, including which books are suitable for students.

    Among the department’s largest responsibilities are managing federal financial aid programs and federal student loans.

    The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a conservative policy initiative offering a guide for the new administration, suggests moving the ministry’s responsibilities and revenue sources elsewhere. Title I funding, for example, would accrue to states over a 10-year period under Project 2025. The Treasury Department would take over collection and default on federal student loans.

    Why is the US Department of Education unlikely to close?

    The numbers just aren’t there. Even though Republicans will hold 53 Senate seats in January, experts have said closing a federal agency would require a supermajority of 60 votes, and seven Democrats are unlikely to agree to it.

    The Senate majority leader could abandon filibuster rules, paving the way for sweeping changes to be made to the simple majority. Still, Eden expressed doubts about the participation of more moderate Republican senators.

    “I think President-elect Trump poses a completely legitimate threat, but the mechanics of getting rid of the department are too difficult an obstacle,” Dimino said.

    What could Trump do within the department?

    Education was not among Trump’s top priorities during his first term. He reversed President Barack Obama-era guidelines that districts report disciplinary disparities by race and rewrote the rules for how schools and colleges should respond to sexual assaults, granting a more regularly to people accused of assault. He also advocated for deep cuts to education programs, which Congress did not support.

    This time around, he also suggested deep cuts to education spending, which would disproportionately affect low-income students and people with disabilities.

    Congress’ control of the purse strings will likely again serve as a buffer against deep budget cuts, Dimino said.

    “Expect some inflammatory budget statements from President Trump, but just balance that with the fact that this has to go through Congress and their constituents are not going to want to see this funding cut,” Dimino said.

    The attack on higher education is set to continue

    In recent years, Republicans have described universities as “woke” institutions. They called on Ivy League presidents to question them about their handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus, leading several of them to subsequently resign. Trump’s running mate JD Vance described universities as “the enemy.”

    Expect “a lot of painting of college and higher education as elitist, left-wing and out of touch in ways that are detrimental to higher education as a brand,” Dimino said.

    The 2025 Project also calls for reducing diversity efforts on college campuses.

    Eden said the Trump administration could leverage Title VI, the federal law prohibiting racial discrimination, to discourage colleges from engaging in racial stereotyping that he said is common in DEI programs.

    “I could easily see the action on that front,” he said.

    Trump has called the college accreditation process a “secret weapon” for forcing ideological change. Schools need accreditation for their students to be eligible for federal financial aid.

    The Departmental Civil Rights Office will be in the spotlight

    Some of the Department of Education’s most controversial work involves interpreting civil rights laws protecting students from discrimination.

    The Biden administration, for example, drafted rules on Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in schools, to include discrimination based on gender identity. This interpretation expanded protections for transgender students.

    Republican-led states sued to block ruleswith a judge pausing regulations in many states, including some Wisconsin schools. Trump will likely roll back the regulations.

    Reducing student debt would be less of a priority

    Trump is also likely to cancel President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness programs, which conservatives say are unfair to people who have worked to pay off their debts and to those who are not going to college.

    Under the Biden administration, more than $160 billion in student loans have been canceled for 4.7 million borrowers.

    Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at [email protected] or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer.

    Umito
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